With an enviable roster featuring Hermitude, L-Fresh The Lion, and Horrorshow, Elefant Traks is one the country’s most powerful record labels, and a dominant force in the local hip hop scene.

Fiercely independent, and run from an office space in the industrial hub of Marrickville in Sydney’s inner-west, the label celebrated its 18th birthday this past weekend. Tim Levinson – aka rapper Urthboy – spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald about the celebrations and his new music, but also the day-to-day of running the label.

Amongst the chat, he detailed some of the strategies he’s held tight to during his time at the company, and we’ve picked out a few choice lessons for anyone looking to run their own label – or any business at all, really.

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Back your opinions, but be aware of why you are arguing your point

“I often clash with opinionated people because when you are in a contest of ideas sometimes it’s hard to know whether it’s wisdom or pride that is guiding you”, Levinson admits. He says the democratic nature of the label means that “everyone shares a fairly equal role in influencing our decisions.”

Levinson respects the bull-headed nature of those he works with, such as Art Director and Production Manager Dale Harrison. “There’s no way that I would ever be able to sway his opinions.”

Have regular meetings – but don’t stress the format

Elefant Traks have weekly meetings at a cafe in Marrickville, where they “talk shit, work out what we’ve done over the weekend, and eventually get to the nuts and bolts of the business.” Although it’s important to have these weekly meetings, the structure is quite loose, in keeping with the creative nature of the company. Levinson refers to an “open-plan meeting for an open-plan business.”

Experience isn’t everything

Levinson, founder Kenny Sabir, and Dale Harrison may have the years of experience at Elefant Traks, but this doesn’t mean they discount the influence of their younger and less-experienced publicity manager Caitlin McGregor. In fact, in the music industry, youth is very much a virtue. Levison refers to McGregor as being “very much an equal” when it comes to day-to-day decision making.

Don’t be afraid to make unpopular decisions

Levinson jokes that he lack the “psychopathic detachment” often needed to make hard-nosed business decisions guilt-free, acknowledging that “a certain amount [of that] quality can be very beneficial in not going to sleep stressing out about not being able to please everybody, when what you do means inevitably not everybody is going to be happy.”

Despite this, he still doesn’t hesitate to make unpopular decisions. “I am comfortable with having to be the one who has to make the tough call. It’s part of the responsibilities.”

Check out the original interview here.

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